Lennox and the Autobot
by Foxbear
Summary: When Lennox escapes his alien abductors he discovers an injured Cybertronian. The choice between compassion and revenge will have far reaching consequences.  Slightly AU before the Mission City battle.  Rated T for smoking and suggested violence. One shot


Lennox and the Autobot

An Alternate Universe Movieverse Fanfiction

Captain William "Wild Bill" Lennox sprinted across the alien landscape. The features of the rough hills made for dangerous running. Rocks and boulders were equally interspaced with rusting piles of metal. Plants were few and far between. There were no animals to be seen.

The human was drawing ragged breaths and staggering now. He had eaten his last ration pack yesterday and was near exhaustion. He was fairly certain he had lost his pursuers but the more distance between him and them the better. He was a soldier in the prime of his life but the past few days had not been kind to him. Lennox spotted a series of canyons in the side of a low mountain range; as good a hiding place as any, and the entrance was fairly close. He slowed to a more manageable trot and aimed away into the wilderness.

It was a few miles into the second canyon that he heard the sound. Lennox had stopped to rest at a brackish looking stream. He was washing his face when a burst of metallic noise came from around the next bend. He silently crept around the rock face and peered into the hollow below. In the dim light all he could see was something large. The human began to step back when the ledge beneath his feet gave way. He slid to a stop at the bottom of the slope in a pile of loose gravel. Lennox rolled immediately to his feet and faced the thing. He felt his stomach lurch.

It was BIG. The bulky black creature gazed down at him with clear cerulean eyes. Its jet black hide faded into the surrounding rocks. The creature sat crouched at the edge of a small pond. One arm ended in five blunt fingers holding a rock, one; in a cannon twice as big around as Lennox.

"Robot," the human hissed.

He had watched six of his fellow soldiers fall to them in the slaver's gladiator pits. The two eyed each other for a moment. The massive black form deliberately put down the rock and picked up a long thing piece of metal. Lennox watched, expecting an attack at any moment. The black behemoth began poking at his cannon.

The human realized with a start that the weapon was covered in the glowing blue substance that was the mechinoids' blood. He knew that the creature should be able to transform the appendage at will. Something was blocking the process. He glanced up at the face of the creature. There was pain there. From the look of that cannon it had been suffering for awhile. Suffering alone.

Lennox shook his head vigorously and told himself not to anthropomorphize the alien. He turned his back on the scene and started up the slope out of the hollow. Just as he crested the ridge the mechinoid let out a soft grunt of pain. The soldier staggered to a stop as memory gripped him.

"Hey Cap. I need to ask a favor."

"After I get done patching you up Peterson," Lennox replied.

"I don't think I got that long Cap," the injured soldier whispered.

Lennox was about to protest but the look in the private's eyes stopped him.

"I don't have any family to write letters too or anything like the others," the dying man said as he reached into his pocket. "But these are the best," he produced a near empty pack of Camel Rare. "I know you don't smoke but promise me that when you make it back to Earth you'll just make sure someone has a chance to enjoy em." The soldier grinned weakly up at Lennox. The Captain swallowed hard and nodded. He gently took the pack out of the man's clammy hands and slipped it under his body armor next to the personal messages he was carrying for the rest of his unit.

Peterson had been the last of the seven abducted humans to be thrown into the gladiator pits. Thrown in to be dismembered by mech's just like the one below him Lennox reminded himself. Another suppressed grunt came from the hollow. With a curse at his foolishness the human turned and carefully worked his way back to the injured creature.

There was something in those blue optics that resonated with the soldier. To be fair the alien had had a perfect chance to kill him with that rock and had not taken it. Maybe it was just that he had been alone too long and was craving companionship the human mused, but he found himself face to face with the ebony mechinoid again.

The creature stared at him warily, but didn't make any threatening movements. Lennox held his hands in the air as he slowly approached the damaged cannon.

"I'm not an enemy," he said soothingly. "I'm not sure why but I'm going to try and help you." He kept talking slowly as he approached the mech. The creature seemed to understand that the little organic was no danger. Lennox walked up to the injured appendage and took out his flashlight.

"I don't know why they didn't take this, take any of our stuff," he muttered as he examined the gouges running along the inside surfaces of the cannon. "Not even the weapons. Maybe they wanted the fights to be better, more even. Ah there it is."

Wedged deep in the recesses of the mechanism was a cluster of crystal shards. Lennox carefully reached in and tugged, he had to twist his wrist around to get at it. It took some pulling and shoving but the jagged crystal finally came loose. Lennox held it up in the light for the mechaniod to see.

"You had yourself one painful thorn there," the human said with a grimace.

The ebony robot gently took the shard from his hand and tossed it out into the pond with a disdainful look. Its cannon began to hum and Lennox felt nervousness creep up his spine. With the sound of sliding metal and shifting gears the weapon transformed into a hand to match the other. The robot flexed the appendage a few times and smiled down at the human. Lenox smiled back, and fell over backwards from exhaustion. He felt a warm flat surface catch him as days of running on little food caught up with him.

Lennox came to in a cold dark place shivering. He sat up painfully trying to remember how he'd gotten there. Suddenly there was a noise of heavy metal footfalls. Lennox tried to stagger to his feet but fell. Two blue lights shone down and a deep musical voice sounded worriedly. The human turned on his flashlight and played it over the black creature. It was carrying a large tree covered in sparse foliage. It set this down in front of the human with a pleased smile.

Lennox stared blankly at the tree, and then glanced up at the mech in confusion. The creature pointed helpfully at its 'mouth'.

"Oh, I get it," the human said. "Food. You think I can eat this."

He tore off a few of the rough leaves and put them in his mouth. A few chews later and he was emptying the contents of his stomach onto the cave floor. The creature let out a concerned noise and rested a hand gently on the human's back.

"Sorry," Lennox finally gasped out. "It's no good."

The mech seemed to understand and led the human over to a crack in the wall of the cave where a steady trickle of water flowed down into a pool. The soldier gladly dropped to his knees and scooped handfuls of water up to his mouth. He was far past worrying about possible contaminations and drank until he was satisfied. When he turned around his companion was gone. Lennox blinked in surprise. How could such a massive being move so silently?

The soldier moved back to the branch on the floor and set about making a fire. Soon he had a small blaze going. He held his hands over the flame and waited for the robot to return. When it did come back it was carrying several small, rat like creatures and offered them to the human. Lennox gladly accepted the meat and skinned and roasted them.

"So I think I will call you Robo," Lennox said contemplatively after he was done with the meal. "Not very creative I know but it'll have to do cuz there is no way I can talk like you."

The human rested a hand on the robot's and said, "Robo!" He touched his own chest and said, "Lennox!"

Robo tilted his head to one side and slowly enunciated, "Lleennnnox."

"I wonder what your story is?" the soldier asked. "Me, I got beamed up with a bunch from my unit straight out of our camp in Qatar. We were just coming back from patrol when boom we're in this alien space ship cell. Got sold into the gladiator pits. I managed to escape by attacking the guard when it was my turn to provide the entertainment. Still not sure why they saved me for last," the human muttered bitterly. He fell silent.

Suddenly Robo started talking. At least that's what it sounded like to Lennox. The human sat up a little straighter and listened, after all the mech had listened to him. It was the least he could do. But food and fire had their effect and for the first time in weeks he drifted off into peaceful slumber.

He woke to find it bitterly cold in the cave, the fire had died. The soldier figured they must be very close to the entrance for the ambient temperature to be affected that way. Too much experience with mountain caves had taught him that deeper down the temperature was always steady.

However he was still warm. Sometime during the night Robo had gently pulled the soldier close to his chest plate. Two panels had slid aside. There was a clear blue light shining from within the mechanoid. Light and more importantly heat. Lennox snuggled a little closer to the source of the warmth, happily ignoring the warnings about possible radiation his brain was sending him. The soldier comforted himself with the thought that he had in fact already reproduced once. Having a daughter back home was all kinds of comforting, he mused.

Suddenly his comfortable position shifted. Lennox staggered onto his feet as Robo carefully stood and spoke at the human in his deep musical voice.

"Yeah, and a good morning to you too!" Lennox called up at the two blue optics.

The next several days passed uneventfully and peacefully. Robo would go out after dark to hunt and bring the slowly recovering Lennox whatever he caught along with plenty of fire wood; both time consuming tasks in the harsh landscape. When it rained and during the day they would sit together in the cave and speak at each other. Sometimes they sang. Lennox at one point devised a horseshoe game involving throwing little rocks at a big rock. He would lob the rocks while Robo tossed them like marbles.

As Lennox's strength returned he found it harder and harder to stay in the cave while his companion went out hunting. Finally he decided that a little recon on his own was in order. He stomped out his fire and slipped out under the stars. A small moon cast just enough light for him to work his way to the mouth of the canyons. He studied the landscape carefully in every direction. There was no sign of movement. He stepped out into the moonlight. The human had just enough time to register the hunting party coming up the ravine before one of them turned the stunner on him.

"Oh S…." was his final thought as he collapsed.

"This organic slave, designation human, stands accused of escaping custody, harming his guard, and eluding capture! How do you plead?"

Lennox glared murderously at the lanky alien in front of him. The grey skinned creature was easily as tall as Robo but impossibly thin. His arm was thinner than the soldier's wrist at its thickest point.

"I accuse you of being a j..aggh!" Lennox called out in pain as a jolt of power tore through him.

The prosecutor frowned disdainfully at him. Lennox wasn't sure why they'd bothered with this phony trail. Maybe it had something to do with their pride and dignity. The lanky grey aliens seemed to have a lot of that.

"Let it be known that this creature will be summarily executed in the pits!" the judge called out. There was a lusty cheer from the surrounding crowd. The human sent them all a good old fashioned Hawaiian good luck sign before being dragged off by two bulky guards sporting more warts and fangs than were probably on every hog in Texas. One leaned in and hissed in his ear.

"They have a special treat for you! A Cybertronian warrior."

The other prodded him painfully in the ribs with a bony finger.

"They have been feeding him aggression programs for the past three days just for you."

"It will most likely rend you limb from limb," the first chortled gleefully.

Lennox smiled at them and addressed them with some colorful Earth expressions he hopped his daughter never learned. They reached the pit door and unbound the human.

"Run like crazy squishy!" the guard chortled. "Make it interesting, once he catches you it's all over."

With that final bit of advice they tossed the soldier into the pit. He landed in a crouch and turned to face; Lennox let out a cry of dismay. There, tethered to the center of the ring was Robo. They had captured him too. Metal cuffs bound his arms and legs individually. How many more friends was he destined to lose to this place? The mech looked up from tugging at his chain when he heard the human. The hard metal face suddenly lit up with a smile and it held out both massive hands. Lennox ran up to the robot and began looking him over for fresh injuries. The mech in turn scooped up the human and began gently scanning him.

For a moment there was stunned silence from the crowd. Then an astonished murmur rose. A commanding voice cried out over the throng. Robo looked up from his inspection of the human. Lennox turned in the direction he was staring in. Two guards were cautiously approaching them. Robo held out a threatening fist at them and held the human protectively to his chestplate.

"The Emperor wants to talk to you squishy," one called out.

"We have orders to release the Cybertronian and escort you both to the Royal Pavilion," the other chimed up.

Lennox nodded and spoke soothingly to the mech. It must have understood enough because it allowed the guards close enough to unlatch the chain from the center of the ring. It carefully placed Lennox on its shoulder and followed the guards to the near side of the pit. There the human was nearly level with two of the slavers. They were dressed in long flowing robes covered in an unbelievable assortment of shining gemstones and wore tall feathered headdresses.

"Organic!" the larger of the two called out imperiously. "My queen wishes to know how this miracle has come to be. It is known the galaxy over that the Cybertronians are a violent race that care for none but themselves and that but little. How is it that this one has not slain you?"

Lennox shoved down a few choice words and proceeded to give the account of his escape into the mountains. The two royals listened enchanted throughout the entire narrative. When he was finished the Emperor raised a hand dramatically and addressed the crowd.

"Oh! What a splendid tale!" he said happily. "Truly as gratitude is the sign of a noble spirit this is a noble organic! See how he has tamed even the Cybertronian beast!"

The crowd murmured in appreciation.

"Let it be known that the beast will be released back into his native stars to do as he wishes. The organic will live in the palace as a pet to my own dear wife!"

The assembly roared in approval.

"Excuse me Emperor, sir," Lennox said after all the noise had died down. "But if it's all the same to you, I'll go with the Cybertronian."

The Emperor blinked thin eyelids at him in surprise.

"This creature will not take you home you know," he pointed out. "It will only drag you along with it as it engages in the never ending battle its kind wages one against the other.

'Well I'd rather take my chances with him than you sadistic freaks,' Lennox thought to himself. Aloud he said,

"I owe the big guy. He kept me alive out there. I'll stick with him."

"Ah, such gratitude!" enthused the alien, "very well. We will provide it with the coordinates so you may see for yourself what kinds of creatures they are. Farewell Grateful Organic!"

With that they were dismissed and the Emperor returned to his sport. In short order the two were showed to a ship and provided with provisions for the both of them; food and water for the human, cubes of blue glowing energon for the Cybertronian. These people were nothing if not efficient the human mused. When Lennox requested that whatever translation program had been supplied to him be applied to Robo as well the guards simply laughed and asked what use had he for the lies of a Cybertronian.

Once they were out of the atmosphere the trip passed uneventfully. Lennox passed the time exercising and eating to gain back his strength. Robo seemed to be similarly focused on restoring function to his damaged cannon; sometimes having the human assist with some of the more delicate repairs. It was two weeks later by Lennox's watch when the Cybertronian called him over to the main view screen.

The human let out a small cry and gripped the side of the consol. Earth hung in a field of stars. She was beautiful, a blue gem. He realized there were tears running down his face and roughly wiped them away. He looked sheepishly up at Robo. But there was only compassion and understanding in those blue optics.

"Huh," Lennox said. "I guess you haven't been home in awhile either."

The robot indicated the human sized crash chair. Lennox nodded and strapped himself in. It was time to go home.

They landed in the farmland on the outskirts of some city. The soldier was about to go off looking for a payphone to call his commander when a strange convoy drove up. A sleek silver sports car led followed by a yellow and black Chevy Camero with a pair of teenagers inside. Lined up behind the second car were a red and blue semi, and an ambulance. All of these were flanked by army jeeps.

"Prime!"

Lennox jumped at the sudden deep voice that boomed out of his powerful friend.

"I came as soon as I could! Is that the Allspark I feel?"

The red and blue semi suddenly unfolded into a robot even larger than Robo.

"Indeed Ironhide, but time is short," Prime responded.

"Hey! When did you learn English?" Lennox demanded.

"Approximately three point five minuets ago friend Lennox," Robo, no Ironhide the human reminded himself, responded

"Lennox!" a familiar voice called out joyfully.

The Captain turned at the sound and gave a shout of joy.

"Epps! You're alive!" he called out as the sergeant clasped hands with him.

"Hey! I'm not the one who disappeared without a trace. What happened to you man?" Epps asked.

"Would you believe I got abducted by Aliens?" Lennox asked with a grin.

"After what happened back at the base after you left? You know it! Hey! Somebody get the captain a kit!" the sergeant hollered to the soldiers in the jeep.

"Epps! Please debrief your fellow soldier as we travel," Prime called out, "time is of the essence!"

"Just a click Prime," Ironhide said and walked up to a black GMC Topkick parked by a shed. A green light shot out from his optics and scanned the rig. In a moment an identical truck sat beside the first. The warrior pulled up beside the impressed Lennox and opened his door.

"Climb in friend Lennox! Honest combat awaits us!" he declared.

The officer and his sergeant climbed into the cab and Epps debriefed Lennox while the latter fitted himself with the new combat gear.

"So, high heat sabot rounds huh?" he asked. "Will that work Ironhide?"

"It should be somewhat effective," the Autobot admitted. "But I would suggest letting my cannons do the work whenever practical."

"No argument there," Lennox said cheerfully. "Let's roll."

The battle was over. Whatever that weird cube was that the kid had, had been destroyed and along with it the big bad of the Decepticons. A weary Lennox leaned against a building for a moment and felt something dig into his chest under his armor. He reached in a pulled out the packet of Camels Peterson had given him. The man gave a rueful grin and pulled one out.

"Here's to you Peterson," he muttered as he lit it off of a burning café sign. He hadn't smoked since high school behind the gym. The aromatic smoke filled his lungs and for a moment banished the stench of burning flesh that hovered throughout the devastated city.

"Yeah, I think I'll just enjoy this one for you soldier," Lennox said softly.

He slung his gun over his shoulder and sought out Ironhide. He found the mech standing in the rubble between two buildings flexing his injured cannons experimentally. Golden light from the setting sun filtered through the smoke and dust to settle on the warrior's armor and make him glow.

"That giving you trouble again Ironhide?" he asked as he approached the black mech.

"A bit," the Autobot admitted. "I think a scrap of debris had gotten into the old injury. I do not want to transform this joint until I am sure it is out. What is that in your mouth?"

"Medicine," Lennox said shortly, and stuck it between his teeth. "Let me take a look at that."

The Autobot crouched down and held out the cannon. Lennox carefully examined the inner gears and spotted a marble sized piece of black rock wedged in. He easily pulled it out and held it up for the mech to see.

"Bah," the mech grumbled. "Thank you Captain Lennox. Soon I will have Ratchet repair me properly and this will not happen again."

Lennox nodded and leaned back against the mech's undamaged limb. He took a long drag on the cigarette and rested one hand thoughtfully on the cannon; a weapon that could vaporize him in an instant. These were powerful beings, not everyone would accept them right away. This victory was only the beginning. They faced a long road ahead and he was determined to see it through.

!

This was Inspired by GoddesMechanic's absolutely beautiful portrait of Ironhide and Lennox on DA .com/art/Transformers-movie-Ironhide-258050689


End file.
